Stringed-instrument bow guide



Oct. 19, 1926.

L. J. ZAHN STHINGED INSTRUMENT BOW GUIDE Filed Feb. 27. 1924 PatentedOct. 19, 1926 UNITED STATES Lonnnz J. alarm, on LONG ISLAND CITY, NewYORK.

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Application filed February 27, 1924.

This invention is directed to means for assisting in training beginnersto bow an instrument, such as a violin, in the proper manner. Inlearning to play a violin, it' is rather hard for a beginner to keep thebow straight and much time may be lost in sliding the bow up and down orback and forth on the strings without accomplishing the desired result.In my Patent 1,508,830, issued Sept. 16, 1924, I have shown and described a bow guide which is adapted to be mounted on the bridge of theinstrument, thereby acting also as a mute.

My present invention has to do with a bow guide which is not mounted onthe bridge of the instrument and, therefore, does not act as a mute. T

It is the principal object of my invention to provide a bow guide whichis simple and cheap to manufacture and one that can be quickly attachedor removed from the instrument.

A still further object is to provide a guide which is light and can beeasily carried about.

My invention will be best understood by reference to the attacheddrawing, where- 1n:

Figure 1 shows a partial view of a violin with one form of my bow guideattached to v the finger board.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the guide itself detached from theholding bracket.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the holdbracket used in connectionwith the guide shown in Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a modified form of bow guide shown attached to the end ofthe finger board.

Figure 5 is a still further modified form somewhat like that shown inFig. 4.

Figures 6, 7 and 8 are detailed views of the parts forming the bow guideshown in Fig. 5.

Figure 10 is a still further modified form showing the bow guideconstructed of one piece of metal. 7

Figure 9 is a fragmentary plan view showing how the guide of Fig. 10 isattached to the finger board.

Referring now to the details wherein like numbers refer to correspondingparts in the various views, 1 illustrates the body of a violin, a bridge2 and strings 3 being attached to the tail piece 4. 5 is the fingerboard. 6 is a narrow bracket member which Serial No. 695,406.

is adapted to slide over the end of the finger board 5 between two ofthe strings andis held to the finger board by the set screw 7, aprotecting plate 8 being used so that the set screw does not mar thefinger board, and the lowerlimb of the bracket 6 is preferably providedwith apiece of rubber or felt 20. The bra'cketb is provided with ahole-19, into which fits a mounting arm '11, the outer end of which isattached to one of the vertical arms 21 of the bow guide, generallyreferred to as 10. The arms 21 of the bow guide are provided with abuffer strip of rubber or felt 12 in order to protect the bow frommechanical rubbing or from metallic noise due to the hitting of the bowframe on the arms 21. The lower end of the arms 21 are preferably formedoutward at 13 in the immediate vicinity of the strings of the instrumentto prevent injury to the hairs of the how by rubbing on the uprights ofthe guide. The formed part 13 on one side of the guide 10 engages aportion 22 of the bracket 6, thereby obtaining a guiding support on thebracket 6 so that the guide 10 will be held securely in position.

In Fig. 4, the guide 10 is constructed of two parts, one of these beingformed as shown at 23, to act as a common pivot point for the two parts.While the arms 21 extend substantially parallel in a vertical direction,these arms continue generally in a horizontal direction and are spacedapart so as to engage the finger board 5, being clamped thereto by setscrew 7. It is seen by loosening the set screw, the two parts of theguide can be pivoted about the point 23 so as to provide the necessaryopening between the horizontal portions 17 and 24, whereby theseportions will engage the finger board 5 as explained.

In Fig. 5 the upper member has cars 16 formed downward thereon as wellas a loop 25, the ears 16 being adapted to cooperate with ears 18 toreceive a pivot pin 14, a spring 15 having one 'end to engage the lowerhorizontal portion 24 of the lower member of the guide and the upper armof the spring engages the loop 25 to cause the horizontal portion 17 tomove about the pivot 14, whereby the two horizontal portions 17 and 24grip the finger board 5.

In Fig. 10 the entire guide is made out of one piece of wire bent intoshape as shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the buffers 1.2 in

this case being adapted to slide over the formed ends of the wire.

From what has been illustrated in the various figures, it will bereadily understood that the details for applying my invention may bevaried over a considerable range and L therefore, do not wish to belimited except as by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus What I claim is 1. For a stringed instrument having afingerboard, a bow guide comprising; a guide member having twosubstantially parallel arms with buffer members thereon and spaced topermit a bow to move between said arms, each of said arms havingportions extending laterally therefrom, one of described my invention,

said lateral portions having a pivot 011 the other and means for causingsaid lateral portions to move about the pivot to grip the end of thefinger board of the instrument.

2. For a stringed instrument having a fingerboard, a bow guidecomprising; a guide member having two substantially parallel arms spacedto permit a bow to move therebetween, each arm having a portionextending laterally therefrom, one portion adjacent the other, saidlaterally extending portions slipped over to grip the free end of thefingerboard of the instrument.

In testimony whereof, I ailix my signature.

LORENZ J. ZAHN

